


How was the spell broken?

by Uwu_yee



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: M/M, Mentioned Mumintroll | Moomintroll, Moominvalley (Mumintroll | Moomins), snufkin x moomin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:22:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29489724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uwu_yee/pseuds/Uwu_yee
Summary: Snufkin has been feeling more than he'd like to admit ever since he returned to moominvalley. He's been avoiding moomin, only allowing himself to see him while the others are around. And he would keep this up until winter if it wasn't for moomins concern for sniff. He's been acting strange all spring and moomin asks snufkin to find out why. Little did snufkin know he would be meeting an old "friend" this spring.
Relationships: Mumintrollet | Moomintroll & Snusmumriken | Snufkin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The lady of the lake

"Sniff has been acting rather strangely, don't you think?" Moomin was sitting next to snufkin, watching the fish warely come up to his worm.  
"Huh?"  
"Have you been listening to me at all, snufkin?" Moomin asked, a little irritated. This is the third time he's had to get Snufkins attention.  
"What? Yeah, yes I've been listening to you this whole time. I just don't know what you mean. Strange how?" Snufkin's face was still turned to the water and moomin realized he hadn't been looking at him at all this whole time. He hadn't been alone with him all spring. He sort of forced it this time. He knew it was wrong to push a mumriks boundaries but he wanted answers.  
"I mean," he continued, "he has been waking up at five each morning, which we both know is weird for sniff to begin with, and he passes our house on a trail that leads to seemingly nowhere. Up in those woods passed moomin house," he said, pointing towards the dark forest. "And he has sort of a lovesick grin on his face, it really freaks me out."  
Snufkin huffed at this, "what would you know about a lovesick grin, moomin."  
This took moomin entirely by surprise. Why was THIS the only thing he took from everything he just said. "What??"  
"Nothing," snufkin said quickly, scooching ever so slightly away from moomin. "Let's just...back to sniff. He's always acting strange. He's Sniff. But if you'd like, I can follow him tomorrow."  
"Can I come with you?" He asked urgently. Snufkin had been avoiding him quite a lot lately and he wanted to take a walk alone with him to ask why.  
"No." Snufkin said, much to moomins chagrin. "I think I'll be able to move more quietly without you moomin, but I promise I'll come to you as soon as I get back." He seemed so cold. Moomin fought back tears while he told snufkin that was okay. It was indeed not okay but moomin knew better than to push Snufkin's limits. He had left early last time he did so. He left snufkin alone then, knowing that if he stayed, he would burst into tears and push snufkin further. Little did he know that if he stayed just a little bit longer, he would've seen snufkin was fighting the same urge.  
"I'm sorry," snufkin whispered. If he could just tell him what he was feeling in that moment. If he could just tell him…. but fear and doubt held him to the ground. He had been admittedly avoiding moomin moreso this year than he ever had. Feelings (and he had not yet admitted that they were indeed feelings) had been rushing through him ever since the first day of spring at an alarming pace. They started at the end of last spring, though so much had been happening since then that he was able to ignore them. Until he saw moomin. It made him remember all those nights through the winter where he woke up with his heart fluttering and couldn't quite place what it was. Made him remember all the fleeting (very fleeting, mind you) that he had constantly when he was alone. Dreams, wishes, hopes. He didn't want any of it, he reminded himself daily. Or more like hourly now that they've started to remind HIM that they weren't going away. Of course he reminded himself once more before hopping up angrily and stuffing his fishing equipment in his tent. He hadn't caught anything but he was hungry anyway. Tomorrow was an early day. A new day. One more for him to agonize in. 

Next morning snufkin got up with the sun. It was still too early for sniff but he wanted to be ready when he came by. He spent the morning packing his bag with extra food since he had noticed that Sniff was always gone all day. And maybe he could spend a night or two up in the mountains after following him. Maybe rethink how much longer he was gonna stay here. He loved moomin valley more than anything but that was the problem. Love meant attachment and he despised even the word itself. While thinking once again of things he would rather not think about, he heard someone making their happy way up the path. He saw Sniff's silhouette from a few feet off, walking in sort of a robot like way. Like he was being drawn somewhere against his will or knowledge. He couldn't see the so-called "lovesick" look moomin told him about. He highly doubted there would be one. Moomin had always been clueless to stuff like that. Snufkin himself was the same way but he was in denial of that. Sniff walked past Snufkin's tent rather quickly, not taking notice of anything but the road ahead. Snufkin followed him at a very close range. They passed moomin house, snufkin didn't dare look up, moomin was probably awake and watching them out of his window. Snufkins heart ached even at the thought of it. An hour passed before snufkin started to recognize where they were. His eyes widened at the familiar pine trees and the Brook laughing beside them. He knew who sniff was going to see. He started to slow his pace as they got closer. The glow from the small lake got brighter and Sniff quickened his pace. "Hello, again." The sound of her voice made snufkin leap into the bushes. "Helloo," Sniff's voice sounded strange. Slightly….lovesick? Maybe moomin was right. But then why….  
The lady of the lake snapped her head in snufkin's direction. He ducked further under the bush. He wouldn't be able to talk to her if he scared her away. He sat under that bush the whole day, listening to monotonous conversation between sniff and the lady of the lake. Mostly consisting of Sniff complimenting her and her giggling. Snufkin knew that giggle all too well. Even now it made snufkin's heart twitch at it's sound but that feeling left as quickly as it came. The sun was starting to set when he heard Sniff take his leave. He crawled out of the bush as soon as he saw him pass. As silently as he could because he knew that the smallest sound would startle her back into the water. He braced himself for her look and whispered "My lady." She flinched and turned her empty white eyes toward him. "Wait!" She had already gone halfway back into the water. "Snufkin?" She exhaled. "Whatever are you doing back here?"  
"I was following my friend. Everyone has been worried about him. How long have you had him?" He surprised himself by being able to stare directly into her eyes without feeling a thing.  
"Only a month or two," she said innocently. "He hasn't pulled the same thing you pulled with me yet. However did you do that? I was never able to ask. You didn't come back." She almost sounded hurt but snufkin knew all too well it was only an act. She did these things for fun.  
"I can't tell you how the spell was broken," he said pushing away the memory.  
"I'm just messing with you, snufkin. I know the only way to break my spell. Who is it?"  
The question took him so by surprise he couldn't help but stare at her stupidly. "I-"  
"I could never imagine someone more beautiful than me," she said. "But you obviously found someone so. Who is she?"  
"I…..I need you to let my friend go."  
"So you're not going to tell me. Well, I see no reason to let your friend go yet. I haven't had entertainment in years, snufkin, you must understand. It gets ever so boring here on my lake. Of course you wouldn't know seeing as how you can leave whenever you'd like."  
*You don't know what you're talking about*, snufkin thought. *I'm just as stuck as you are.*  
"Stuck?" She asked.  
Damn. "Stop doing that! And no I'm not stuck, I can leave whenever I'd like, just as you said."  
She laughed softly as if she knew everything he had been feeling the past few months. Snufkin almost felt as if she did. A minute of silence settled between them before she said "I'll let him go once you tell me exactly how you broke my spell."  
"What?!" This was completely absurd. She probably knew what had happened already.  
"I do know," she whispered with a sly grin. "But I want to hear it told by you. You're a fantastic storyteller, snufkin."  
He was getting tired of hearing his name said like that. So pleadingly. Everyone always wanting something. Needing him. He felt suffocated. "No." He said shortly. He turned to stalk away but he didn't get to leave until he addressed her properly. "Goodbye, my lady."  
"Goodbye, snufkin," she smiled. "I'll see you again." And with that she dived into the lake, leaving no splash.


	2. I have a story to tell you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin decides something that will change everything

He angrily stomped home, trying his best to think of a way to release sniff from this desperate spirit. A way that doesn't involve him expressing what he has tried to push away for so long. He passed moomin house without a glance, barely noticing that moomin had come up next to him to hear what happened. He was silent all the way to the tent but snufkin could feel his eagerness to know everything. Before moomin could get a word in snufkin said, "I think we've lost Sniff."  
"WHAT?!"  
"To a lake spirit. She's had him under a spell for a long time. Long enough to take a stronger hold than I've ever seen."  
"What-I….What? A lake spirit?? But how? What? Did you talk to him?"  
"You can't get through to anyone who's been in this for too long, moomin. The spell is already near to unbreakable when it first takes place."  
"Well did you talk to the spirit? How are you not under a spell?"  
"I talked to her," he said. Then he hesitated. "Yes," he said slowly, "I have been under her spell but it was a long time ago."  
"How did you break it? What did you-"  
"I can't talk about that right now. And frankly, moomin," he said, beginning to give in to his irritation. His face was burning, "I won't. I've been up since five and I've walked hours and I just want to go to sleep." This wasn't true. Snufkin was awake with all the emotions he's held in for the last few weeks of spring. But he needed to be alone to think. That's what he told himself. He'd been alone thinking for the last few hours. "I...need to be alone for a while."  
"Oh," was the only thing moomin said. He stared at snufkin and then turned around to walk away.  
"I'm sorry, moomin." There was no response. "I'm sorry."

Snufkin didn't go to see anyone for the next two days. He mostly stayed in his tent, not daring to come out for anything but necessities. He knew moomin would be looking out his window, waiting for a sign to come back to see his best friend. He didn't deserve this. Snufkin knew it. He felt it. The ache in his stomach grew almost unbearable those two days. *Time is all I need. Time will fix it.*  
"You're being ridiculous."  
*How?*  
"You know how. You need to tell him-"  
*Tell him what? There's nothing to tell.*  
"If there's nothing to tell, there's no reason for you to be needing all this 'time'."  
Snufkin growled at his inner turmoil. That voice has gotten a lot more sensible than he remembered it. He decided to call moomin back with his music the next morning. 

Moomin had the brightest smile snufkin had seen in months on. It was both painfully and delightfully surprising. Snufkin didn't deserve the flitter it gave his heart.  
"I'm so happy to see you, snufkin!" Moomin beamed. "I was worried I wouldn't get to see you again until next spring."  
"I'm sorry for scaring you, moomin. I'm okay now." Entirely untrue.  
"Have you decided anything on sniff? I ran out to him last morning. He wouldn't answer me at all, you were right. And I was right about the lovesick smile. Did you see it when you followed him?"  
"No." Snufkin lied, "I've decided to try and help him. I'm going back to the lady of the lake. I'll ask her again to lift it."  
"But what if you get caught?" He pleaded. His big, blue eyes were almost too much for snufkin. He would almost rather be put back under the spell.  
"I won't be, the spell can't be redone. I'm going tomorrow morning. I'll be gone for another day or two."  
"Can I-"  
"No, moomin. You can't come, it's too dangerous. I can't let you fall under the spell."  
"I'm not scared." Moomin said with all the braveness he could muster.  
"But I AM moomin, can't you understand?! I can't let you get hurt!" The sudden anger made both moomin and snufkin step back. "I can't." Then snufkin went into his tent, not to be seen or heard from until the next morning. 

Moomin had already decided to follow snufkin the next morning before he made his way back the first day. The sudden inexplicable anger from snufkin startled him but it wasn't enough to stop him. He was up even earlier than snufkin just to make sure he didn't miss him. If he was caught, he couldn't imagine what snufkin would say. He's been off all spring but last night was strange. He's never snapped at moomin like that before. He had almost dozed off on the desk next to the window before he was a small spot of green in the corner of his eye. Snufkin's familiar green hat passed by the window at an alarming rate. Moomin sped down the ladder from his window and did his best to hide in every shadow he came across. The walk was longer than he expected and he started to be less stealthy the more tired he got. But he managed to keep himself hidden from snufkin the whole way. A strange glowing caught his eye and he started to hear a soft singing. He decided to hide behind a bush a few feet from where snufkin stopped. He saw sniff standing there too. But he was silent, staring at the mirror-like lake. Then the most beautiful lady he'd ever seen floated lightly out of the center. She stepped into the water, slowly coming towards sniff and snufkin. "I knew you'd be back, snufkin."  
Her voice was enchanting. "My lady." Snufkin bowed.  
"Well?"  
"I have a story to tell you," snufkin said gloomily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone liked this chapter! I think there'll only be one or two left. If you have any suggestions on a new story or my writing, please tell me!


	3. Snufkins memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin tells the story of how the spell was broken

Snufkin was watching the ship in the distance, having just sent everyone off on another one of moomin Pappa's adventures. He had stayed behind because he told everyone he needed to get ready to leave for the winter. And that's what he did for the next week. But it got clear very quickly that everyone wouldn't be back for another few weeks. And he got bored. There was a difference between traveling alone and being alone in one place that's meant to be inhabited by your best friend. His boredom grew fierce. So he decided to explore some places he'd yet been to in moomin valley. The forest behind Moomin house seemed especially arcane. It was a surprise that he had never been there before but moomin had expressed his fear of it quite frequently to snufkin so he decided to stay out of it. He expected dark creatures, monsters and quite possibly the groke. He didn't expect to stumble across a lake spirit. And one so beautiful too. So bewitching. For the next few weeks he was stuck under her spell. She was strong and unforgiving. She'd been bored for longer than she would like to say. So the spell was practically unbreakable. He would have stayed in moomin valley all winter for her. He thought himself in love. In fact, he was almost certain of it. She spoke to him so soft and lovingly. Of course, snufkin remembers very little of the next few weeks. The lady of the lake remembered it all and she laughed delightfully while being reminded of the whole thing. Snufkins anger became fervent at her laughter. He was in the most uncomfortable situation he had ever been in in his life and she laughed as if it was fun for both of them. But he remembered one thing painfully clearly. The moment the spell was broken. He was slowly walking back from the lake spirit, the sun had almost set completely. What he thought to be love had him so blind, he didn't even notice. He thought his heart had been left with the lake spirit. It truly belonged to her now. But…"Snufkin!!" He heard a familiar voice call to him. Wait. He hadn't heard anything but the voice of the spirit for weeks. "Snufkiiin!!" Now it was louder. His heart began to race and his feet sped up into a run. Why was he running? Why did he feel his heart again, he could've sworn he left it in that forest. Tears began falling down his face without him even noticing it. His tail swished back and forth. And then he stopped. There on the hill stood moomin, as bright as the morning sun. He was looking around as if searching for something incredibly valuable. Then he locked eyes with snufkin. Snufkins heart leaped. Blush spread across his entire face and tears continued to flow. "Moomin," he whispered. Moomin was down the hill faster than snufkin could take a step forward.  
"Oh snufkin!" He grabbed him into a soft hug, "I have so many things to tell you! There was a ghost and we lost little My for a week and moomin Pappa, well he- are you okay, snufkin?" Moomin held snufkin's face in his soft paws, not taking notice of what he was doing to his best friend. Snufkin buried his head in moomins paws and closed his eyes.  
"You saved my life, moomin," he sighed before falling fast asleep. Moomin never found out what he meant by that because snufkin didn't say anything about it when he woke. He told moomin he had been extra tired that day and didn't remember anything. But those words lingered on both of them for the next two years. I guess now they didn't have to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this!

**Author's Note:**

> This is only going to be a short story. It's my first, I hope everyone likes it!


End file.
